President-elect Joe Biden will finally be allowed to begin his formal transition, according to CNN on Monday, Nov. 23, 2020. The General Services Administration (GSA) Administrator Emily Murphy sent Biden a letter which is a “formal sign off” on the former president’s victory.
After the election was called on November 8, Murphy would not initiate the paperwork needed to release the funds to help with the transition, including security clearances for each Biden team member.
On that day, she claimed she would not accept the election outcome until the results are certified in December.
For some reason, on Monday, November 23, the Trump administration authorized the Biden transition team to begin; this was the day before Pennsylvania certified the state’s election results. With 20 electoral votes, Trump’s lawyers vigorously contested the outcome, but he ultimately lost the popular and electoral votes.
In her letter to President-elect Biden, Murphy repeatedly stated her denial earlier was not “out of fear or favoritism.” It seems she was not content to leave it there. She added:
I was never directly or indirectly pressured by any Executive Branch official — including those who work at the White House or GSA — with regard to the substance or timing of my decision.
Fifteen Days After Trump-Biden Election Was Called
During the 15 days since the election was called, lame-duck President Trump and his lawyers filed lawsuits in each state he expected to win. He has yet to concede — narcissists refuse to accept losses. Trump continued to use Twitter as his platform to spread conspiracies and to update followers about his lawsuits.
He continued to falsely claim he won the election, that it was shrewdly stolen from him, but he never admitted he would be moving out of the White House. Sources say Trump further blocked the president-elect by demanding that no one in his administration help the incoming team.
Biden, on the other hand, assured Americans his goal was to bring unity. His Twitter feed was filled with updates on his informal transition. He announced who was on the transition team and finalized some of his cabinet nominees.
The president-elect’s team will now move forward with access to government officials, office space, equipment, and daily briefings. Government officials are authorized to assist Biden in his preparation to take office.
In the next 59 days, Biden will prepare for his first day as the United States President. His team will meet with federal officials. The president-elect will be fully briefed on national security interests and learn more about the current pandemic data.
On Jan. 20, 2021, Joe Biden will be sworn in — then the hard work begins.
Written by Cathy Milne-Ware
Source:
CNN: Key government agency acknowledges Biden’s win and begins formal transition; by Kristen Holmes and Jeremy Herb
Featured and Image Courtesy of jlhervàs’ Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
Inset Image Courtesy of Thomas Hawk’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
